Integral and non-integral off locks for electric switches have been known heretofore. In one form, a trigger switch is provided with a spring-biased latch lever carried by the trigger that locks onto a small round hole in the switch frame whenever the trigger returns to "off" position. And a release button must be pressed to release this lever to allow the trigger to be operated. In another known form of the non-integral type, a trigger, a spring-biased latch and a removable release key are separately mounted in the tool handle. This spring-biased latch moves into the path of the trigger to prevent operation thereof, and the key must be depressed to pivot this latch out of the path of trigger travel to allow operation thereof. This key can be removed to lock the switch "off". In still another known form, a rocker switch is provided with an integral off lock such that removal of a key from a hole in the rocker decouples the rocker button for lost motion movement relative to the contact actuator to prevent switch operation. Insertion of the key couples the rocker to the contact actuator to afford normal switch "on" operation. One-way interference between the rocker and contact actuator affords actuation of the switch "off" even when the key is out.
While these prior off lock designs have been useful for their intended purposes, they nevertheless have had certain disadvantages. For example, the first mentioned form is not readily adaptable for use in rocker switches. The second mentioned form is not self-contained and thus requires that individual parts must be mounted in the tool handle. The third mentioned form can be rather easily defeated when the key is removed by inserting a stiff wire into the hole in the rocker and pressing the contact actuator to its "on" position.
Accordingly, it has been found desirable to provide a rocker switch with integral off lock that overcomes disadvantages of the aforementioned type.